Staying off the drink (1 Viewer)

Have to say I’m in agreement with you. I haven’t given up drinking but I’m more than happy enough to go on a night out and just drink nonalcoholic Guinness or Heineken. I’ve cut down the amount of alcohol I drink a lot because of it.
It really is a game-changer

I mean people can do what they want and all, but alcohol - for me - is a dead end.
Fuck hangovers.
 
I would have been more the other way

There was often neither enough pints or hours in the day for said pints

Like being trapped in a hilarious but nightmarish party where everyone's doing the same thing and telling the same stories year after year and no one's life moves an inch
Somewhere between Douglas Adams and Beckett, if I was being kind about it
 
I’m having an issue with one of my neighbours at present. I would have always got on fairly well with the guy. We’d meet up every now and again, have a couple of drinks, and chat about music and guitars. Over the last year though, his drinking’s gotten completely out of hand. He was meant to go in for inpatient treatment in November but backed out on the day. Same thing happened in January. He ended up in hospital the weekend before last because of it. His girlfriend left him last weekend because she’d had enough. She’s been through hell and back with him over the last few months. His behaviour has been abusive and at times horribly manipulative. He’s also completely burned his bridges with his own family. At the moment, he just seems to be in his apartment drinking pretty much all the time. Just eat are delivering the booze to him.

it’s a fucking horrible situation and if ever there was an advertisement for sobriety, this is it.
 
I’m having an issue with one of my neighbours at present. I would have always got on fairly well with the guy. We’d meet up every now and again, have a couple of drinks, and chat about music and guitars. Over the last year though, his drinking’s gotten completely out of hand. He was meant to go in for inpatient treatment in November but backed out on the day. Same thing happened in January. He ended up in hospital the weekend before last because of it. His girlfriend left him last weekend because she’d had enough. She’s been through hell and back with him over the last few months. His behaviour has been abusive and at times horribly manipulative. He’s also completely burned his bridges with his own family. At the moment, he just seems to be in his apartment drinking pretty much all the time. Just eat are delivering the booze to him.

it’s a fucking horrible situation and if ever there was an advertisement for sobriety, this is it.
Sometimes people have to lose everything before they make a change

As bad as this is, it might get worse before he truly seeks help
It is incredibly tough on the people who love you. And like your neighbour, a lot of addicts end up making their world very very small, til it's just them and their substance, and the enablers that can stand them.
As much as we want a better life for them, they have to want it for themselves.

I know there's nothing groundbreaking in what I said there, but these simple truths bear repeating.
 
Sometimes people have to lose everything before they make a change

As bad as this is, it might get worse before he truly seeks help
It is incredibly tough on the people who love you. And like your neighbour, a lot of addicts end up making their world very very small, til it's just them and their substance, and the enablers that can stand them.
As much as we want a better life for them, they have to want it for themselves.

I know there's nothing groundbreaking in what I said there, but these simple truths bear repeating.
No, that all makes perfect sense. He’s made his world very small over the last few weeks. He came out of hospital last week with antidepressants. He stopped taking them last Thursday and disappeared into town that afternoon to go drinking with the one or 2 mates that still will drink with him.

Things are going to get a lot worse for him before they get better for him. And that’s a big if.

His last text to me on Sunday afternoon was “I’m going to destroy my family. One by one.” I didn’t reply back.

He needs serious help but he keeps refusing it.
 
Ah, well I can see why giving up would be a game-changer for you then. I don't see that giving up on the 5 beers I get weekly from Tesco would make much of a difference to my life
hmm. i get through at least a dozen bottles a week; i relax with a couple of bottles most nights. pure habit really.
 
hmm. i get through at least a dozen bottles a week; i relax with a couple of bottles most nights. pure habit really.
I'd have a couple of glasses of wine with dinner too here and there in fairness, but still I'd say my alcohol consumption is mostly within the low-risk guidelines. FYI a dozen (500 mL) bottles would be well above the guidelines

I actually find that alcohol mostly serves a ceremonial purpose for me - a way of marking the weekend, or a social contract with someone else to indicate we're both going to be a bit less careful with our conversation - and I find that non-alco beer often (though not always) works just as well as the real thing for that
 
I'd have a couple of glasses of wine with dinner too here and there in fairness, but still I'd say my alcohol consumption is mostly within the low-risk guidelines. FYI a dozen (500 mL) bottles would be well above the guidelines

I actually find that alcohol mostly serves a ceremonial purpose for me - a way of marking the weekend, or a social contract with someone else to indicate we're both going to be a bit less careful with our conversation - and I find that non-alco beer often (though not always) works just as well as the real thing for that
I’d have a few on a night out. Probably 5 max. But most of the time if I’m heading to gigs I’ll just drive in these days. Don’t drink at home too much these days.
Didn’t drink at all during February and most of January this year.
 
In my mind, the only real reasons for giving up the drink are if it's causing you or others in your life a problem

Or if you want to get somewhat serious about your health/lifestyle.

Its so woven into our lives though, it's a tough nut to crack.
You'd almost want your partner doing it with you.
The corollary of the "it's just a few pints" is the level of willpower and consistency it takes to give them few pints up. It might not be quite as hard as smoking, but it's tougher than choco and sweets by a goddamn mile.
 
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In my mind, the only real reasons for giving up the drink are if it's causing you or others in your life a problem

Or if you want to get somewhat serious about your health/lifestyle.

Its so woven into our lives though, it's a tough nut to crack.
You'd almost want your partner doing it with you.
The corollary of the "it's just a few pints" is the level of willpower and consistency it takes to give them few pints up. It might not be as hard as smoking, but it's tougher than choco and sweets by a goddamn mile.
In a lot of ways, I think I’d be fairly ok with giving up at this stage. A lot of people I know have or have cut down a lot. And like you’ve said, the non alcoholic beers are a game changer. Sometimes you just want the taste of beer without any of the rest of it
 
8 years without alcohol today more or less

drank enough before that for at least a lifetime's worth, I'd say

my life is unimaginably larger and richer

most of you will probably never go through this, but if you have some nagging feeling in the back of your mind that your life would be better without alcohol, then you are probably right
and it is very possible

you own every moment after this
be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid

peace and love to all
 
Only two beers over the bank holiday weekend. (One was 750ml mind). A solid effort of trying to reduce the Covid inspired weekend beers and crisps loveliness.

Off to the Boundary tap room on Friday so don't get too impressed.
 
Only two beers over the bank holiday weekend. (One was 750ml mind). A solid effort of trying to reduce the Covid inspired weekend beers and crisps loveliness.

Off to the Boundary tap room on Friday so don't get too impressed.

Staying off the drink by staying on the drink?
Interesting system!
 
I’m having an issue with one of my neighbours at present. I would have always got on fairly well with the guy. We’d meet up every now and again, have a couple of drinks, and chat about music and guitars. Over the last year though, his drinking’s gotten completely out of hand. He was meant to go in for inpatient treatment in November but backed out on the day. Same thing happened in January. He ended up in hospital the weekend before last because of it. His girlfriend left him last weekend because she’d had enough. She’s been through hell and back with him over the last few months. His behaviour has been abusive and at times horribly manipulative. He’s also completely burned his bridges with his own family. At the moment, he just seems to be in his apartment drinking pretty much all the time. Just eat are delivering the booze to him.

it’s a fucking horrible situation and if ever there was an advertisement for sobriety, this is it.
Update on this.

The neighbour went to St Pats a few months ago. He hasn’t had a drink in over 7 months. His girlfriend is back with him and he’s back talking to his family. He’s doing brilliant. I’m very happy for him.
 

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